Teaching SupporT cenTre WeSTern univerSiTy

Making Groups Work: Getting Our Students from “Forming” to “Performing”

“Why would you want us to pool our ignorance?”asked one of my students in shock and horror when I introduced a group assignment in my first year class. I recognized in her outrage some of my own frustrations at entering into collaborative learning experiences when I was an undergraduate student. In fact, my student’s comment forced me to reflect on why I had resented my own teamwork experiences and how I might improve the process for my students.

The benefits of group work for students are numerous and have been well documented, ranging from increased achievement motivation and long term retention of information to acquiring the communication skills necessary for the professional world after graduation (Johnson, Johnson, & Stanne, 2000; Oakley, Felder, Brent & Elhajj, 2004).

Despite these benefits, the fact remains that many students face challenges when working in groups with their peers. There are a number of factors that go into making a group experience a successful one for students. These factors include, among others, the criteria used for team formation, assignment/task design, assessment, and explicitly teaching teamwork skills to students prior to putting them into groups. In fact, numerous scholars have noted that students often do not have an opportunity

to learn the interpersonal and logistical skills necessary to equip them for the common issues that arise in group work (Hillier & Dunn-Jensen, 2013; Oakley et al., 2004).

In this article, I will outline one theory of group dynamics to help illustrate the challenges groups face in coming together and provide two strategies that instructors can implement to reduce these issues or even prevent them altogether.

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Reflectionsnumber 73, auTumn 2015

Making Groups Work ........................... 1-3

Creating Video for Learning ................... 3

STLHE 2016 Call for Proposals ......... 3-4

Begin with the End in Mind ..................5-7

Flourishing in Your Teaching ...............7-9

So You Think You’re a Fraud? ................9

Faculty Certificate in Teaching Excellence ............................. 10

Teaching with Technology ....................11

Copyright @ Western .............................11

New Teaching Fellows .......................... 12

Western Mentoring Micro Grant ............................................ 12

Faculty Mentor Program ...................... 13

Supervision Conversations.................. 14

Awards & Grants ................................... 15

CONTACT The TsC rm 122, The D.b. Weldon Library

Western university

London, ontario n6a 3K7

519-661-2111 ext. 80346

email: tsc@uwo.ca

Reflections is the newsletter of the Teaching Support Centre at Western University. Available online at uwo.ca/tsc

By aIsha haqueLanguage & Communication Instructor Teaching Support Centre

In This Issue

@westerntsc

1 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

Tuckman’s stages of Group DevelopmentBruce Tuckman’s model of group development (1965; 1977) proposes that teams progress through predictable stages as they seek to grapple with interpersonal relationships and task activities. For Tuckman, certain challenges are inevitable as teams learn how to navigate complex group dynamics while simultaneously responding to the demands of the assigned project (Bonebright, 2010; Tuckman, 1977; Miller, 2003). Figure 1 provides a brief description of four stages of Tuckman’s model.

So how can we get our students from forming to performing as quickly as possible? Tuckman’s model of group development allows us to better understand where and how students might struggle in our group assignments so that we may design appropriate interventions that will help students avoid these challenges altogether.

strategies for success“Team charters [and] team feedback…are easily understood and quickly administered concrete tools that provide a strong foundation for understanding and improving performance” (Hillier & Dunn-Jensen, 2013, p. 706).

1. ask your students to create a group contract to clarify group processes.

Completing a group contract encourages group members to set clear goals that everyone can agree on and to further discuss how they will work together. This, in turn, makes the norms surrounding participation and performance explicit for all group members. Typical issues that should be addressed in the contract include expectations around attendance and participation during group meetings, the quality of work submitted, and a breakdown of responsibilities to hold all members accountable (Oakley et al., 2004).

A clear understanding of how conflict

will be resolved is another pre-requisite for group success, and a contract can simplify this process for students by helping members to identify and resolve problems as they emerge. For example, referring to the contract provides a safe tactic for conflict resolution: “Simply stating ‘we talked about this in the charter and all agreed that…’ is a neutral starting point to begin an otherwise awkward conversation” (Hillier & Dunn-Jensen, 2013, p. 709).

It is also important for students to understand that this contract is not a static document; in fact, as the team evolves and gains a better understanding of their needs, the contract can be revisited and revised to better reflect emerging goals and issues.

There are numerous examples of group contracts available that can be easily adapted to meet the needs of your students. Below are two great examples:

a) “Appendix B” of Janet Hillier and Linda Dunn-Jensen’s article contains a template for a team charter that helps members set clear expectations. This three page document outlines questions that help students articulate the norms they would like to set. You can access the charter online: http://jme.sagepub.com/content/37/5/704.full.pdf+html

b) The University of Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence has a sample contract on their website

that students can model their own agreements on: https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/developing-assignments/group-work/making-group-contracts

2. provide processes for team members to give each other consistent and structured feedback.

Feedback is a critical component of successful group development because it allows teams to identify ineffective group behaviours and to take corrective actions that will enhance overall group performance. Regular feedback allows the group to conduct frequent pulse-checks to determine what is working and what to change (London & Sessa, 2006). In other words, implementing a culture of consistent and structured feedback is formative to the team learning process: it allows groups to learn from their mistakes and improves the team’s ability to solve problems as a unit (Hillier & Dunn-Jensen, 2013; London & Sessa 2006).

Hillier and Dunn-Jensen propose the “Team Effectiveness Feedback Form” as a concrete tool to structure the feedback process at the group level. (This form is available online as “Appendix C” of their article: http://jme.sagepub.com/content/37/5/704.full.pdf+html.) This short questionnaire can be completed quickly by students and provides them

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Figure 1.

NORMING

The third stage, norming, is characterized by the emergence of group harmony as group members begin to openly express ideas and opinions. Members begin to accept teammates for who they are and task-related conflicts are avoided in an effort to preserve harmony.

STORMING

The second stage, storming, marks a time of intragroup conflict due to lack of group unity. Because team members still see themselves as individuals rather than as part of a team, they may resist the formation of group structure in favour of expressing their individuality.

FORMING

During the first stage, forming, team members establish interpersonal relationships, become familiar with the assigned task (the group assignment) and create ground rules.

The final stage, performing, reflects a period of productive collaboration in which members demonstrate support for each other and assume roles that will enhance task activities. Constructive attempts are made to resolve an issues related to the completion of the task.

PERFORMING

2 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

call foR PRoPosals

The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) invites proposals for presentations at its 36th Annual Conference held at Western University and Fanshawe College from June 21st to 24th, 2016.

CLOSES JANUARY 6th

We welcome open submissions related to the conference threads below:

•Community and Global Engagement•Motivating Learners

• Innovations in E-Learning

•Student-centred Curricula,

Assessment and Teaching Practices

•Partners in Student Success

•Teaching Assistant and Graduate Student Advancement

•Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

•Educational Development

•Educational Leadership

proposals due by: Wednesday, January 6, 2016

For more information, please visit: stlhe2016sapes.ca

Multi-disciplinary scholarly approaches to transforming teaching and learning are welcome, as are proposals that create opportunities for dynamic dialogue. Individuals are invited to provide presentations, interactive workshops, lightning talks, and posters that stimulate discussion around the theme Empowering Learners, Effecting Change.

Creating Video for Learning

By gavan watsonAssociate Director eLearning, Teaching Support Centre

Developed for Western’s Teaching Support Centre’s 2015 eLearning for New Faculty session, this Prezi is a concise introduction to the types of videos used for instruction as well as a summary of the evidence for

best practices in creating these resources.

Click to play the presentation: http://bit.ly/videoForLearning

with an opportunity to reflect on what is working well and what needs improvement without blaming any individual team members for the issues.

Implementing a group contract and clear processes for feedback are two strategies that will explicitly teach students the skills they need to succeed at collaborative learning experiences. In fact, with increased confidence in their own ability to navigate complex group dynamics, perhaps your students will even anticipate their next group project with excitement.

reFerenceS

Bonebright, D.A. (2010). 40 years of storming: A historical review of Tuckman’s model of small group development. Human Resource Developmental International, 13(1), 111-120.

Hillier, J., & Dunn-Jensen, L. M. (2013). Groups meet . . . teams improve: Building teams that learn. Journal of Management Education, 37(5), 704–733. http://doi.org/10.1177/1052562912459947

Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., & Stanne, M.E. (2000). Cooperative learning methods: A meta-analysis. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.

London, M., & Sessa, V.I. (2006). Group feedback for continuous learning. Human Resource Development Review, 5, 303-329.

Miller, D. (2003). The stages of group development: A retrospective study of dynamic team processes. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 20(2), 121-143.

Oakley, B., Felder, R. M., Brent, R., & Elhajj, I. (2004). Turning student groups into effective teams. Journal of Student Centered Learning, 2(1), 9–34.

Tuckman, B.W. (1965). Development sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384-399.

Tuckman, B.W. & Jensen, M.A.C. (1977). Stages in small group development revisited. Group and Organizational Studies, 2, 419-427.

University of Waterloo Centre for Teaching Excellence (n.d). Making group contracts. Retrieved September 18, 2015, from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/developing-assignments/group-work/making-group-contracts

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3 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

Expand your teaching practice and dialogue with other passionate educators and leaders at STLHE 2016! Join us and be inspired by Quest University’s innovative curriculum, and learn about the approaches to empowering faculty and students at Berea College’s Centre for Transformative Learning. For more information and to register, please visit our

website STLHE2016SAPES.CA or email stlhe2016@uwo.ca

EMPOWERING LEARNERS, EFFECTING CHANGEJUNE 21-24, 2016 LONDON, ON

The graduates who are best equipped to succeed in our rapidly changing world have the ability to apply their skills to new contexts, see opportunity where others perceive risk, and persist in the face of challenges. STLHE 2016 will explore the ways in which we contribute to the development of students who are motivated, confident, and prepared to effect positive change in personal, professional, educational, and civic realms.

Expand your teaching practice and dialogue with other passionate educators and leaders at STLHE 2016! Join us and be inspired by Quest University’s innovative curriculum, and learn about the approaches to empowering faculty and students at Berea College’s Centre for Transformative Learning.

DAVID HELFAND Past President, Quest UniversityPast President, American Astronomical Society

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

LESLIE ORTQUIST-AHRENS Director, Centre for Transformative Learning, Berea College and President, POD Network

#STLHE16

Wordmark

Trees Wordmark

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

CLOSES JANUARY 6TH

4 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

In the spring edition of Reflections (Crocker, 2015), the idea of constructive alignment (Biggs, 2003) was introduced including the triangle graphic (Figure 1) that has been developed by the Teaching Support Centre for use when working with faculties and instructors to construct effective courses.

The article also introduced the three

guiding questions of good course design: “What do I want students to know and be able to do?”, “How will I know that they have learned it?”, and “What techniques and resources will I use to share information?” The article in spring Reflections established the process for creating course outcomes to address the “big ideas” (Crocker, 2015; Wiggins & McTighe, 2013) to establish what students will know/do by the end of a program of study. This article will explore the second key element – matching assessment

to outcomes in order to respond to the second question, “How will I know that they have learned it?”

Taking stock of AssessmentsThe first important step is a review of the assessments that are currently used in your course. Brainstorm a list of the “usual” ways that you measure student learning. Your list may reflect methods such as exams, quizzes, and mid-terms. While these assessments have their place, they each require the use of pencil and paper tasks to evaluate students’ recall of knowledge. These kinds of assessment tools tend to focus on the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (See Figure 2) and include Knowledge, Comprehension, and Application. If however the outcomes for the course call for higher order thinking skills such as Analysis, Synthesis or Evaluation, the methods that we choose to assess student learning should align with these outcomes.

In her visit to Western in 2014, Peggy Maki, advocated the importance of identifying or designing tasks to assess the dimensions of learning. During her presentation based on her best-selling book, Assessing for Learning (2010), she reminded us that assessments do not function in isolation and that an assessment’s effectiveness in improving learning depends on its relationships to curriculum and instruction. So what does that have to do with exams, quizzes, and midterms? Perhaps the assessments that you are currently using to measure student success aren’t the best tools? Perhaps it is a good time to rethink WHAT you want students to know/do and HOW you will know that they have learned the material? It is time to rethink your assessment toolkit.

Assessment ToolsWith the onus on creating course outcomes that begin with an action, and

Begin with the end in Mind Part Two: Connecting Assessments to Course Outcomes

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By wendy a. cRockeRCurriculum Specialist Teaching Support Centre

Suggested Instructional Strategies for Use with Each Level of Bloom’s Taxonomy

case studies projects exercises projects critiques problems simulations case studies appraisals creative exercises problems develop plans EVALUATION exercises constructs case studies simulations judge exercises critical incidents appraise practice discussion SYNTHESIS evaluate demonstrations questions rate questions projects test compose compare discussion sketches plan value review simulations ANALYSIS propose revise test role play design score assessment microteach distinguish formulate select reports analyze arrange choose lecture learner APPLICATION differentiate collect assess visuals presentations appraise construct estimate video writing interpret calculate create measure audio apply experiment set up examples COMPREHENSION employ test organize illustrations use compare manage analogies translate demonstrate contrast prepare restate dramatize criticize discuss practice diagram

KNOWLEDGE describe illustrate inspect define recognize operate debate repeat explain schedule inventory record express shop question

list identify sketch relate

Figure 2: Bloom’s Taxonomy staircase indicating the cognitive levels and corresponding activities, retrieved from: learningsolutionsmag.com

LEARNING OUTCOME

TEACHING & LEARNING

What knowledge, skills, and values will students demonstrate upon

successful completion of the course?

How have class activities and resources scaffolded student understanding to

support learning?

How is student learning or demonstration of progress toward the

outcome being assessed?

Figure 1: Constructive curriculum alignment

ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

5 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

that reflect a higher order on Bloom’s Taxonomy (Figure 2), traditional pencil and paper assessments can fall short of measuring what students have learned. Some verbs by their very nature require an action to demonstrate a skill – model, present, draw, design, debate, perform, to name a few. If these action verbs have been used in your course outcomes, then the assessments that students perform to demonstrate their achievement of that outcome must also be active – that is, a performance of some kind.

Quantitative and Qualitative AssessmentsAs instructors in a university setting, there is a need for a quantitative reporting to the administration usually done in the form of summative grades. However, as teachers we also are responsible to the students for their learning. This dual role can be challenging and could cause instructors to view the primary role of assessment as the construction of a series of assignments that can be readily translated into numbers that constitute a grade. However, is this really measuring what a student has learned in your class? There is a place for both quantitative (numerically based) and qualitative (description based) assessments to measure student achievement.

The most effective way to meet the diversity of learner needs and established course outcomes is to use a variety of methods to collect information for creating an evaluative judgement. In the autumn 2013 edition of Reflections, an article on Authentic Assessment offers some recommendations for alternatives to more traditional pencil and paper measures of learning (Crocker, 2013).

Fenwick and Parsons (2009, p. 50) provide the below performance tasks below for consideration (Figure 3).

Performance Task + Rubric = AssessmentWhen incorporating a performance assessment as a demonstration of student learning into your course, you must also remember the “measurement” aspect. While a performance task will align with course outcomes that require a more active demonstration of learning, as the instructor there remains the requirement to measure “how well” the student executed the task. Rubrics give structure to observations. Instead of judging the performance, the rubric describes the performance (Brookhart, 2013). About the only kind of work that does not function well being assessed on a rubric is that which has a right or wrong answer. Any task that has “…degrees of quality performance, where you want to observe how appropriately, or how completely, or how well a question was answered, can be assessed with rubrics” (Brookhart, 2013, p. 5). As was described in the Reflections article, Ruminating on Rubrics (Crocker, 2014), rubrics must be well-designed, and should be used for learning as well as for grading by giving the student the assignment, and the rubric, at the same time.

Connecting Outcomes and AssessmentsIn order to respond to the question, “How will I know if my students have learned it?” instructors must adopt a form of assessment or measuring student knowledge. In considering constructive alignment (Biggs, 2003), the assessments must also measure the key course outcomes that address the question, “What is it I want students to

know or be able to do at the end of this course?” If the outcome has utilized a verb from the higher orders on Bloom’s Taxonomy, then the assessment tool must match the action of the verb. If the course outcome is to redesign and critique a Roman weapon of war, a pencil and paper exam may not truly capture how well a student has achieved this expectation without first having actually constructed the weapon. Only then could students offer ideas for redesign by critiquing what worked or didn’t on the original armament. In choosing active verbs as outcomes, the assessments must make room for student

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Peer evaluation of learner or performance products

Review of learner performance using video by external expert or committee

Profiling – narrative, in-depth description of learner using designated categories

Portfolios (paper or electronic) or folders of work samples over time

Learning maps, audit trails, or personal journals

Student performance of a skill

Simulated cases or in-basket exercises for learner problem-solving

Role play of strategies for coping with or addressing situations

Debates, panel discussions, presentations, or demonstrations

Learner teaches others who are then tested

Journals or learning logs

Peer and self assessment

Informal conferences of formal interviews with learner

Focus group discussions mediated by instructor

Checklists and rating scales used against a performance of a skill

Interviews – open ended or structured questions

Observers’ reports Work Samples gathered periodically

Useful links for more information on assessments and rubrics Cornell University rubric resources

http://www.cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/assessing-student-learning/using-rubrics.html#resources

Faculty Focus http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/should-you-be-using-rubrics/

Iowa University – Purdue University Indianapolis https://sites.google.com/site/iupuinca2012/Home/creating-rubrics

Jon Meuller Authentic Assessment Toolbox http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/

McQuarie University (Australia) http://staff.mq.edu.au/teaching/curriculum_assessment/assessment/toolkit/

UNSW (Australia) https://teaching.unsw.edu.au/authentic-assessment

University of Wisconsin (STOUT) http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/assess.cfm

continued on page 7Figure 3: Performance task ideas from Fenwick and Parsons (2009).

6 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

By ken n. MeadowsEducational Researcher, Teaching and Learning Services

and toM haffIe Lecturer, Department of Biology

Many of us became teachers for reasons of the heart, animated by a passion for some subject and for helping people learn…but many of us lose heart…in part, because teaching is a daily exercise in vulnerability. To reduce our vulnerability, we [may] disconnect from students, from subjects, and even from ourselves.

Parker J. Palmer (1998, pp. 17-18)

How can we be resilient in the face of the vulnerability inherent in teaching? How can we remain connected to our passion for our teaching and our students’ learning? Research from the positive psychology literature provides practical suggestions to help us be resilient and thrive in our teaching. In the first article in this series, we outlined how increasing teaching-related positive emotions and engagement can increase well-being among teachers. Below we outline strategies for increasing the final three components of Seligman’s (2011) Flourishing model: positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment.

Positive RelationshipsPositive relationships are close and satisfying connections with other people (Seligman, 2011). Below are three strategies you may want to try to increase your positive relationships associated with teaching, whether those relationships are with your students, your faculty colleagues, or other people related to your practice.

1) initiate positive interactions

There are, of course, a variety of opportunities to initiate positive interactions with your students on a daily basis. Starting with your course outline, you could ensure that reading this document leaves students feeling like respected members of a welcoming academic community rather than feeling like untrustworthy reprobates needing a long list of rules. You might facilitate an icebreaker during the first class so that you can get to know more about your students, they can get to know more

about you, and they can get to know each other. You might regularly arrive early at class to chat casually with some students about their experiences. You might introduce an element of reflective writing into the course as a venue for interaction with students at a deeper level than is usual in class. These activities can provide a very generative environment for connecting with your students, with benefits for all concerned (Hazelton, 2013; McKeachie & Svinicki, 2006).

2) Develop supportive communities

You could develop a community of colleagues around teaching; which could serve as an opportunity to exchange information but also serve as a support group of sorts. This could be as informal as inviting a colleague or two out for a coffee to discuss teaching. One step up in formality would be to initiate regular meetings of a group of colleagues interested in teaching. This might be a book club or a monthly brown bag lunch to discuss interesting articles on teaching and learning. Perhaps there are faculty or students who are interested in collaborating with you on educational scholarship projects. If you would prefer not to create your own communities, one of the goals of offices like the Teaching Support Centre is to support the development of such communities through programs such as Teaching Squares and Communities of Practice.

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Flourishing in Your Teaching (Part 2)

performance to demonstrate what they have learned.

How will that affect what happens in class time? What resources would you choose to support student learning? How do you scaffold the skills students need to actually complete the assessment tasks? These topics will be addressed in the final installment of “Begin with the end in Mind” coming in Reflections 2016.

reFerenceS

Biggs, J. (2003). Teaching for quality learning at the university: What the student does. (2nd Ed) SRHE Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.

Brookhart, S. (2013). How to create and use rubrics for formative assessment and grading. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Crocker, W. A. (2013). Authentic assessment: Evaluating “real-life” applications of knowledge in higher education. Reflections, 69, 1 – 3. Retrieved from http://www.uwo.ca/tsc/resources/publications/newsletter/previous_issues/Reflections_69.pdf

Crocker, W. A. (2014). Measuring an authentic assessment task: Ruminating on rubrics. Reflections, 70, 4 – 5. Retrieved from http://www.uwo.ca/tsc/resources/publications/newsletter/previous_issues/Reflections_70.pdf

Crocker, W. A. (2015). Course design: Begin with the end in mind. Reflections, 71, 5 – 7. Retrieved from http://www.uwo.ca/tsc/resources/pdf/Reflections_72.pdf

Fenwick, T. & Pasons, J. (2009). The art of evaluation: A resource for educators and trainers. (2nd Ed). Toronto, ON: Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Maki, P. (2010). Assessing for learning. (2nd Ed). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing

McTighe, J. & Wiggins, G. (2013). Essential questions: Opening doors to student understanding. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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7 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

With these programs you would simply need to sign up and show up (Hazelton, 2013).

3) use positive language

Using positive language in your teaching-related interactions will also help to develop positive relationships. Who does not want to engage with someone who is authentically encouraging and supportive rather than someone who is critical and disapproving? Even when delivering what might be difficult feedback to your students, you can do so in an encouraging and supportive manner that will help them learn (Hazelton, 2013).

MeaningMeaning is having a sense of purpose coming from something beyond the self; this meaning may come from something spiritual, it may be about making a difference in the world, or it may be about having a particular calling in life (Seligman, 2011). Below are three strategies you may want to try to increase personal meaning for you in your teaching.

1) Discovering meaning

Some academics may derive deep meaning from their roles as researchers and scholars but have difficulty finding a comparable depth of personal purpose in their teaching. If that is the case for you, you might find it helpful to reflect

on questions such as: Which aspects of your teaching practice do you, or others, appreciate? When have you felt a deep sense of satisfaction associated with your teaching? Which features of these experiences promoted those feelings? How might you modify your work, and/or your thoughts about that work, to increase meaningful aspects of your teaching practice (Whitney & Trosten-Bloom, 2010; Wrzesniewski, LoBuglio, Dutton, & Berg, 2013)?

2) Shaping what you do

To increase meaning in your teaching, you can shape aspects of your teaching so that they are more personally meaningful. Specifically, you can change the tasks in which you engage or the time and effort you dedicate to those tasks. For example, if you are passionate about making a difference in your community, you can integrate community service-learning into your courses and/or join a departmental curriculum committee working to integrate community service into the larger curriculum (Wrzesniewski et al., 2013).

3) Shaping what you think about what you do

You can also modify the way you think about the value of your teaching; emphasizing the meaning that it has for your life. For example, you could reflect on the impact of your teaching on other people’s lives; how it is benefiting your students, your teaching assistants, and perhaps even your colleagues. You may

also want to reflect on your teaching in terms of its impact on you; what you are learning through your teaching, what skills you are developing, and how this enhances your own growth (Wrzesniewski et al., 2013).

AccomplishmentAccomplishment is a persistent drive to achieve something for the inherent value of achieving it (Seligman, 2011). Below are three strategies you may want to try in order to increase your sense of accomplishment in your teaching.

1) Set your goals

To increase your sense of accomplishment, you can explicitly set goals that you want to accomplish in your teaching (Van Zyl & Stander, 2014). Perhaps you would like to revise a familiar but dated syllabus? Maybe you would like to employ technology that enables you to be more effective with larger class sizes? What about that specialized grad course that you have always wanted to offer? Although you likely already know what your goals are, you also likely have not made them concrete by writing them down. During your next coffee break, you might try brainstorming a list of goals, without editing. Once you have listed everything that comes to mind, go through the list and revise as needed (i.e., add, delete or otherwise edit goals). Then you can prioritize, start the process of realizing

FLouriShing in your Teaching (parT 2)

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Lauren Anstey joins us from Queen’s University where she has worked on various face-to-face, blended, and online projects related to curriculum and instructional design. Lauren is completing her PhD in Education, focusing on students’ experiences of inquiry learning in anatomy. Lauren’s background is in anatomical sciences and previously worked for McMaster University’s Education Program in Anatomy.

tsc welcomes new elearning and curriculum specialist

8 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

your most important goals, and hold yourself accountable (Hazelton, 2013).

2) visualize the process

Visualization can be a very powerful tool for increasing your sense of accomplishment and your well-being (Van Zyl & Stander, 2014). In this case, it is important to visualize both the achievement of your goals as well as the process you will employ to achieve those goals, including the obstacles that you might face and how you will address those challenges. Visualizing both the outcome and the process is more likely to result in that outcome being achieved (Hazelton, 2013).

3) celebrate your successes and learn from your mistakes

When you have success in your teaching, even a small victory, recognize that success and celebrate it. This will increase your positive emotion and your sense of accomplishment, both of which increase your well-being in your teaching. On the flip side, when you make a mistake or try something in your course that fails it is important to be self-compassionate (e.g., recognize that we all make mistakes) and try to learn from the mistake; reflecting on why the mistake happened and how the mistake can open a door to future success (Dweck, 2006).

Each of the strategies above, as well those outlined in first part of this series, holds the potential to increase our well-being as teachers. In fact, a number of the strategies will have a positive impact on more than one component (e.g., using your strengths can increase positive emotions, engagement, meaning, and a sense of accomplishment). We hope you will try out one or more of the strategies to increase your flourishing as a teacher.

reFerenceS

Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Random House.

Hazelton, S. (2013). Great days at work: How positive psychology can transform your working life. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page.

Kahn, W. A., & Fellows, S. (2013). Employee engagement and meaningful work. In B. J. Dik, Z. S. Byrne, & M. F. Steger (Eds.), Purpose and meaning in the workplace (pp. 105-126). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

McKeachie, W., & Svinicki, M. (2006). McKeachie’s teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Palmer, P. J. (1998). The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher’s life. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.

Seligman, M. E. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Van Zyl, L. E., & Stander, M. W. (2014). Flourishing interventions: A practical guide to student

development. In M. Coetzee (Ed.), Psycho-social career meta-capacities: Dynamics of contemporary career development (pp. 265-276). New York, NY: Springer International Publishing.

Whitney, D. D., & Trosten-Bloom, A. (2010). The power of appreciative inquiry: A practical guide to positive change. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.

Wrzesniewski, A., LoBuglio, N., Dutton, J. E., & Berg, J. M. (2013). Job crafting and cultivating positive meaning and identity in work. Advances in

positive organizational psychology, 1(1), 281-302.

FLouriShing in your Teaching (parT 2)

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Presented by: Western Women in Science and Engineering Research (WWiSER).

Thursday, October 29, 20159:30 a.m. | NCB 101

Dr. Valerie Young is an internationally known speaker and the author of the award-winning book, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It.

Dr. Young has addressed faculty and students at many major colleges and universities including Harvard, Stanford, Cornell, MIT and Princeton as well as managers and executives at companies such as Chrysler, Intel, IBM, P&G, Boeing, and Merck.

Learn more: eng.uwo.ca/wie/overcoming_impostor_syndrome.html

Millions of high achieving people including CEOs, A-list celebrities, graduate students, and faculty secretly believe they’re not as bright or talented or competent as everyone ‘thinks’ they are. It’s called the Impostor Syndrome and, left unaddressed, can have serious consequences for individuals and institutions.

Join us for a seminar with Dr. Valerie Young to learn more about impostor feelings and practical steps to end needless and costly self-doubt.

So You Think You’re a Fraud?

Overcoming Impostor Syndrome

9 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

Participants may complete the program’s five components in any order. 1. instructional Skills Workshop or instructional Skills Workshop

Online: These instructor development workshops support the effectiveness of both new and experienced instructors in the face-to-face (ISW) and online (ISWO) teaching environments. Participants design mini-lessons and receive peer feedback. The program also introduces techniques for designing learning outcomes, eliciting student participation, and assessing student learning. Take ISW in February 2016, or ISWO in April/May 2016.

2. Teaching Squares: The Teaching Squares program is a unique opportunity to gain insight into one’s own teaching through the observation of colleagues. A square is comprised of four faculty members from across campus who invite one another into their classrooms. The group then meets over complimentary lunch to discuss what they have learned about their own teaching practice through the observational process. Next offered in Winter 2016.

3. Faculty Learning Communities: FLCs bring colleagues together around an area of common interest in the realm of teaching and learning. The goal is to create a supportive community wherein participants can informally share best practices and engage in friendly inquiry and discovery. In the upcoming year, the TSC will facilitate two FLCs, one on Research on Teaching and Learning, and another on Graduate Student supervision.

4. Course Design and Delivery: Through the participation in the Course Design and Renovation Workshop, or the Teaching with Technology Workshop, participants will develop lesson and course plans that effectively promote student engagement and learning. Faculty will have the opportunity to examine teaching theories, strategies, and technologies, and relate these to their personal teaching contexts. Next offered in May 2016.

5. independent Project: To complete this component, participants can choose to prepare a cohesive teaching dossier that reflects their personal teaching philosophy, teaching experiences, and teaching innovations. Or, they may explore one of two specialized areas in higher education. Those interested in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) will prepare an ethics proposal, and those interested in Educational Leadership, will design a discipline-specific project that addresses a particular need within the faculty member’s home department.

Quotes from faculty members who have completed the Certificate: “I liked how the Faculty Certificate recognizes instructors who participate in various Teaching Support Centre programs. Completing the Cer-tificate requires instructors to improve their skills in a variety of domains including online teaching, in-class teaching, syllabus preparation, and so on. My favourite program was probably Teaching

Squares. I really enjoyed watching others teach and the opportunity to reflect on

my own teaching in a supportive environment.”

“The Faculty Certificate in Teaching Excellence made me a better teacher and a better learner. The opportu-nity to learn from other faculty members in the Instructional

Skills Workshop was a career changing experience. By watch-

ing others in the Teaching Squares program, I saw faculty in their native

habitat, and was able to adopt some great approaches to teaching. The Course Design and Renovation Workshop helped me do a better job of linking learning outcomes, course content, and as-sessment, to ensure that what I was teaching was reflected in my assessments. Overall, not only did my teaching evaluations go up, but I started to enjoy teaching more.”

“Teaching at the university level can be a very rewarding experience, yet it can also be challenging and isolating. I found that participating in the Facul-ty Certificate in Teaching Excellence program gave me several structured opportunities to engage with others for the specific purpose of carefully considering pedagogical issues. I enjoyed hearing how professors from other disciplines approached common problems, and providing my own insight from experience. This certificate program also helped me to become better informed about resources available to instructors at the Teaching Support Centre.”

This certificate is for faculty members interested in opportunities to share ideas and practices related to teaching and learning on campus. The suite of programs offered as part of the certificate allows participants to explore and implement a variety of teaching strategies, engage with scholarly literature, and reflect on their own approaches to teaching.

Sounds Interesting? Register in the Faculty Certificate program here: http://www.uwo.ca/tsc/faculty_programs/

faculty_certificate/index.html

Browse the Teaching Support Centre website for additional programming details, and to register in

any of our upcoming offerings: uwo.ca/tsc/

Questions? Please e-mail us at: tsc@uwo.ca

Faculty Certificate in Teaching excellence

Instructional Skills

Workshop

Teaching Squares Program

Faculty Learning

Communities

Course Design and

Delivery

Independent Project

10 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

By toM adaMWestern Copyright Librarian

At Western, responsibility for copyright belongs to us all. Last May however, institutional stewardship of copyright officially transferred to Western Libraries.

The copyright website is still found at copyright.uwo.ca and Western’s copyright Decision map is still the primary tool for applying copyright to specific situations.

Some new resources have been added:

• The new Fair Dealing analysis tool helps work through application of the fair dealing exception.

• The new Licensed use Search tool gives terms of use in the 750+ digital licences for online journals and e-books.

• A new ask copyright service and set of FaQs provide expanded self-help options.

• Contact copyright@uwo.ca with your specific questions.

image adapted from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/horiavarlan

…an update

Copyright@ Western

Teaching with Technology

eLearning Lunch and Learn Series for Faculty 2015-16

Please join us for the Teaching with Technology – eLearning Lunch and Learn Series for faculty to share your ideas of teaching with technology. Hosted by Dr. John Doerksen, Vice-Provost (Academic Programs) and the Teaching Support Centre (TSC), the Teaching with Technology – eLearning Lunch and Learn Series focuses on the nexus between innovative uses of new and emerging technologies, and best practices in teaching and learning. These sessions (lunch will be provided) are intended to foster campus-wide collaboration, communication, and resource sharing about varied technology issues.

These lively forums will feature faculty and staff from across the disciplines sharing and discussing how they are successfully integrating technology into their curriculum. The Lunch and Learn series aims to foster a venue to share and learn from each other. These learning opportunities will occur throughout the fall and winter semesters.

Creating Interactive Learning Objects (easily)November 24, 2015, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Often hours of development time can go into the creation of interactive online learning objects that support and assess student learning. Join us at this lunch ‘n learn to hear more about the variety of tools that can be used to create, or add interactivity to the online learning environment.

Google Docs & Office 365

in the higher education

Classroom

January 20, 2016, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Web-based office suites offer users

access to word processor, spreadsheet

and presentation software in the web

browser. These tools, however, can

be used for more than just writing,

calculating or presenting. Join us to

find out more how to use components

of these suites to foster classroom

collaboration and collect student

feedback.

Open educational Resources

February 24, 2016, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Characterized by more open licensing,

Open Educational Resources (OERs)

are a variety of digital objects that can

be used to support instruction. This

means that content created as OER is

often free of the typical barriers that

copyright imposes. But low cost (or no

cost) does not mean low quality. Find

out more about how to access, use and

even create these resources.

All sessions will be held in University Community Centre, Room 147A/B. For more information, please contact Gavan Watson, Associate Director,

eLearning, in the Teaching Support Centre at: gavan.watson@uwo.caImage adapted from http://www.flickr.com/photos/horiavarlan

11 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

Angela Borchert, Arts and Humanities, will develop an e-portfolio-based curriculum in intercultural communication in the context of a community of practice in Modern Languages and Literatures. With e-portfolio templates, Arts and Humanities students will create individual learning plans, demonstrate learning outcomes, and showcase creative critical thinking.

Sandra Smeltzer, Information and Media Studies (FIMS), will establish a community of practice for faculty members interested in enriching international service learning and research. Part of her plans include coordinating workshops at FIMS, organizing a university-wide conference on service learning, and developing user-friendly online and in-person resources about

international service learning. She will also develop a new theory/praxis seminar course for FIMS, and conduct research about the intersection of service learning and the field of media studies/communications.

ralph Buchal, Engineering, will create tools to engage students in computer-supported collaborative knowledge building in face-to-face, blended, and online courses, using a design-based research methodology.

The winners of this year’s competition join the five appointed teaching fellows, Dan Belliveau, Health Sciences; Peter Ferguson, Social Science; George Gadanidis, Education; Sarah McLean, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry; and Bethany White, Science (to read interviews with the five fellows, please click here).

new teaching & learning librarian

We are pleased to announce that Kim McPhee has accepted the position of Teaching and Learning Librarian, a collaborative role between Western Libraries and the Teaching Support Centre, effective October 19, 2015. Kim will be responsible

for providing leadership in teaching and learning within Western Libraries by promoting best practices in both in-person teaching and e-learning and in the development of effective pedagogical methods. Kim will also join with the TSC team to deliver programming to instructors that supports the integration of information literacy into their teaching. In addition, Kim is looking forward to working with her colleagues to develop Western Libraries information literacy learning outcomes and embedding these into the Western curriculum. Finally, with her interest in the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, she is eager to become involved in planning for STLHE, which will be held in London in June 2016.

Western welcomes three new Teaching Fellows

Developing an e-portfolio tool to help students demonstrate what they

learn in new Certificates in Intercultural Communication, promoting

collaborative learning in Engineering, and creating a network of faculty

who engage their students in critical international service learning will be

the focus of the new cohort of Western’s Teaching Fellows.

The goal of the Teaching Fellows program is to enhance teaching

innovation and teaching quality at Western by bringing together a cohort

of faculty members who will provide educational leadership, conduct

research on teaching, and disseminate the knowledge they acquire to the

larger university community and beyond.

Professors receive a secondment for a three-year term and are eligible

for funding for three years to conduct their scholarly project. The long-

term vision of the initiative is to have one teaching fellow in each of the

faculties.

We are thrilled to welcome our new Teaching Fellows!

Western Mentoring

Micro grantThe Western Mentoring Micro

Grant (up to $2,500) is designed to maximize mentoring experiences for

full-time tenure-track faculty.

Application deadline: December 1, 2015click here for more information.

ConTACT person:Madeline Lennon

Coordinator, Faculty Mentor programTeaching support Centre

e-mail: mlennon@uwo.ca

Drop in inforMation session:Wednesday, november 4th, 2015

Drop in anytime between 12:00 - 1:30 pmTeaching support Centre

room 122, The D.B. Weldon Library

12 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

The Role of Mentoring in the Life of Faculty: Whom do we mentor? What makes a good mentor?November 20, 2015, 1:30 - 3:30 - WL 122All of us are mentors in different ways, with students and with colleagues. Understanding what good mentoring is and how each of us can develop good mentoring practices needs to happen early in our careers. Participate in this workshop with experienced colleagues to consider your own approach to mentoring.

The Promotion and Tenure ProcessDecember 11, 2015, 1:30 - 3:30 - WL 122A panel of representatives from the UWO Faculty Association, the Office of Faculty Relations and the Office of the Provost will explain the procedures and respond to questions.

Development of a Teaching Dossier and a Teaching PhilosophyFebruary 5, 2016 , 1:30 - 3:30 - WL 122Get a head start on this part of the P&T process with tips from the experts.

TEACHING SUPPORT CENTRE

FACULTY MeNTOR PROGRAMWorkshop Sessions — 2015-2016

special Mentor event: so You Think You’re a Fraud? Overcoming Imposter syndrome October 29, 2015, 9:30 - 11:30 - NCB 101Open to all faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students on the serious problems we face due to our lack of self-confidence. This session features Dr. Valerie Young, author of the award winning book “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Imposter Syndrome and How to Thrive In Spite of It.”

Click here for more information and registration.

www.uwo.ca/tsc/faculty_programs/faculty_mentor_program.html

In the Teaching Support Centre, we recognize that assessing student learning is a critical part of an instructor’s role. To support effective assessment, we offer the Assessment Series – a collection of workshops that address a range of assessment issues. This year we have three sessions planned:

assessing student learning online: a Panel discussionFriday, November 27, 2015, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

designing assessments that align with your learning outcomesJanuary 2016 (exact date to be determined)

the good, the Bad, and the ugly: Item analysis for multiple choice exams Friday, February 26, 2016; 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

click here for more information and registration.

THE ASSESSMENT SERIES2015-16

13 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

Join us to discuss strategies for supervising graduate students and explore opportunities for mentoring young scholars of your discipline.

Supervision Conversations is an informal monthly brown-bag lunch series: participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share supervision strategies during each session, and will receive resources related to the theme of the month.

time: 12noon - 1 pmlocation: teaching support centre, Room 122 weldon library

wednesday, november 25th Teaching graduate Level courses

tuesday, december 15thprocrastinators and perfectionists - helping Students who are Stuck

wednesday, January 20th Supporting eSL speakers in the Thesis Writing process

tuesday, february 23rd helping grad Students manage Stress and anxiety

tuesday, March 22nd preparing grad Students for alt-ac careers

supervision Conversations 2015-16

•Intensive three-day teaching workshop

•open to all western faculty

•designed for both new and experienced faculty

•Required to attend the full three days (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. each day)

•limited enrollment

Instructional Skills Workshop for FacultyFebruary 16 - 18, 2016The Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) offers you the opportunity to explore, in

very practical and hands-on ways, the conditions that give rise to powerful learning

experiences among your students. The ISW is offered within a small group setting

and is designed to enhance the teaching effectiveness of both new and experienced

instructors. These sessions provide new instructors with an introduction to

designing and facilitating effective learning activities. The ISW also serves as a

laboratory for experienced instructors who wish to refine and expand their teaching

practice, to explore new ideas or to revisit the fundamentals.

During the three-day workshop participants design and deliver three “mini-

lessons” and receive verbal, written and video feedback from their peers. Using an

experiential approach, participants are provided with information on the theory

and practice of teaching adult learners, the selection and writing of useful learning

objectives with accompanying lesson plans, techniques for eliciting learner

participation, and suggestions for evaluating learning. Participation in ISW creates

an opportunity for new faculty to learn about Western’s unique learning culture and

can also be a renewing and revitalizing activity for more seasoned members. Added

benefits are a sense of collegiality, team building and self-discovery.

For more information, contact the Teaching Support Centre at: tsc@uwo.ca

RegIsteR to receive reminders.

14 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015

WesTeRN TeAChING AWARDs

• edward g. Pleva award for excellence in teaching

• angela armitt award for excellence in teaching by Part-time faculty

• Marilyn Robinson award for excellence in teaching

Deadline for receipt of dossiers: January 15, 2016www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/senate/sutaregs.pdf

WesTeRN FUNDING INITIATIVes

• fellowship in teaching InnovationApplication Deadline: March 1, 2016

• western Mentoring Micro grant (for full-time tenure-track faculty)Application Deadline: december 1, 2015

• International curriculum fundApplication Deadline: april 30, 2016

eXTeRNAL AWARDs

stlhe’s awaRd PRogRaMs stlhe.ca/awards

• 3M national teaching fellowships (highest award in Canada for teaching excellence and educational leadership)

Deadline for nominations: august 19, 2016 (internal); august 31, 2016 (external)

• alan Blizzard award (rewards collaboration in teaching)Deadline for nominations: March 2016

• Brightspace Innovation award in teaching and learning (recognizes innovative approaches to post-secondary teaching)Deadline for applications: early March 2016

• 3M national student fellowship (for students who demonstrate outstanding leadership) Deadline for applications: early January 2016

• christopher knapper lifetime achievement award (contributions to teaching learning and educational development)Next call for nominations: late 2015

ocufa’s awaRd PRogRaMs ocufa.on.ca

• teaching and academic librarianship awardsDeadline for nominations: May 27, 2016

Information and guidelines for all these awards and grants can be found on the TSC website: www.uwo.ca/tsc/awards_and_grants/index.html

15 ReflectIons | Autumn 2015